A method for injection molding a variety of differently configured prefabricated shower pans using a single base tool, said shower pans being characterized as having one or more of at least the following:
- one or more planar floor areas, one or more drain areas, one or more curbs or barrier free entrances, and one or more splashwalls and/or sidewalls, comprising:
- providing one or more of a group of cavity-side tool insert mounting members consisting one or more cavity-side mounting plates and one or more cavity-side heating/cooling plates;
- providing one or more of a group of core-side tool insert mounting members consisting of one or more core-side mounting plates and one or more core-side heating/cooling plates;
- providing a collection of cavity-side floor inserts, each being detachably securable to said one or more cavity-side mounting members at any one of a multiplicity of user-selected locations, each of said cavity-side floor inserts having at least a mounting side which faces said one or more cavity mounting members when connected thereto, and a workpiece-forming surface which defines at least a portion of a cavity-side of said floor to be formed in said shower pans, said workpiece-forming surface of each cavity-side floor insert being substantially planar;
- providing a collection of core-side floor inserts, each being detachably securable to said one or more core-side mounting members at any one of a multiplicity of user-selected locations, each of said core-side floor inserts having at least a mounting side which faces said one or more core mounting members when connected thereto, and a workpiece-forming surface which defines at least a portion of a core side of said floor to be formed in said shower pans;
- providing a collection of cavity-side drain area inserts, each being detachably securable to said one or more cavity-side mounting members at any one of a multiplicity of user-selected locations, each of said cavity-side drain inserts having at least a mounting side which faces said one or more cavity-side mounting when connected thereto, and a workpiece-forming surface which defines at least a portion of a cavity-side of a drain area to be formed in said shower pan;
- providing a collection of core-side drain area inserts, each being detachably securable to said one or more core-side mounting members at any one of a multiplicity of user-selected locations, each of said core-side drain inserts having at least a mounting side which faces said one or more core-side mounting members when connected thereto, and a workpiece-forming surface which defines at least a portion of a core-side of the drain area to be formed in said shower pan;
- selecting a first grouping of cavity-side floor inserts from the collection of cavity-side floor inserts, which grouping collectively corresponds in workpiece surface-forming characteristics to a desired shape of at least a portion of an upper surface of the floor of a first shower pan;
- selecting a first grouping of core-side floor inserts from the collection of core-side floor inserts, which grouping collectively corresponds in workpiece surface-forming characteristics to at least a portion of a desired shape of a lower surface of the floor of a first shower pan;
- selecting a first grouping of cavity-side drain area inserts from the collection of cavity-side drain inserts, which grouping collectively corresponds in workpiece surface-forming characteristics to a desired shape of an upper surface of the drain a drain area of a first shower pan;
- selecting a first grouping of core-side drain area inserts from the collection of core-side drain inserts, which grouping collectively corresponds in workpiece surface-forming characteristics to a desired shape of a lower surface of the drain area of a first shower pan;
- associating the first grouping of cavity-side floor inserts with the cavity base;
- associating the first grouping of core-side floor inserts with the core base;
- associating the first grouping of cavity-side drain area inserts with the cavity base;
- associating the first grouping of core-side drain area inserts with the core base;
- mating the core and cavity bases together and molding said first pan;
- disassociating at least some of either or both of the first grouping of cavity-side floor and drain area inserts from the cavity base, and disassociating at least some of either or both of the first grouping of core-side floor and drain area inserts from the core base;
- selecting a second grouping of cavity-side floor and/or drain area inserts from the collection of cavity-side inserts which collectively correspond in workpiece surface-forming characteristics to a desired shape of an upper surface of a second shower pan;
- selecting a second grouping of core-side floor and/or drain area inserts from the collection of core-side inserts which collectively correspond in workpiece surface-forming characteristics to a desired shape of a lower surface of a second shower pan;
- associating the second grouping of cavity-side floor and/or drain area inserts with the cavity base;
- associating the second grouping of core-side floor and/or drain area inserts with the core base;
- mating the core and cavity bases together and molding a second workpiece;
- wherein the first and second pans have at least one floor and/or drain area surface feature that is different from the other.